Author Archives: Bob Ruggiero
Blue Öyster Cult Still Recruiting Members with New Music
If you were lucky enough to be in Swanzey, New Hampshire at the Cheshire County Fairgrounds back on July 18, 2020, then you got to see two things classic rock fans anywhere else would kill for: a live show, and … Continue reading
Pablo Cruise Takes Time to “Breathe” During the Pandemic
When the members of Pablo Cruise disembarked in Miami after playing on the high seas as part of the Puerto Rico-bound Rock and Romance Cruise, they had no clue that the late February gig was to be their last for … Continue reading
Liberty Devitto: Life with the Big Beat (and Billy Joel)
For nearly 30 years, he provided the big backbeat behind Billy Joel as a core member of his band for hundreds of concerts around the world and on a string of hugely successful records. The two also formed a deep … Continue reading
Suzi Quatro: The Wild One Looks Back
In the mid 1970’s, she was a pioneering female rocker at a time when that term was nearly nonexistent, a hugely popular record and concert attraction, and a style icon. That is…in much of the non-U.S. world. Here in her … Continue reading
CCR’s Doug Clifford Keeps On Chooglin’ with Solo Record
It’s common record company hype to claim that an album has been “years in the making” upon its release. But in the case of Doug “Cosmo” Clifford’s new record, it’s more like decades. Three and a half, to be exact. … Continue reading
Kathy Valentine Keeps Go-Go-ing with Music, Book, Doc, & More!
For Kathy Valentine, it was a Christmas gift that not only kept on giving, but in many ways came to define her life and music. On the festive yuletide evening of December 25, 1980. The singer/guitarist was catching a show … Continue reading
Meet the Woman Who Shot the Mad Dogs (and Englishmen)
There once was a glorious age of Music Journalism Past, an era when the magical could happen. A time when interviews with rock stars weren’t 15-minute phoners with a publicist listening in, or concert pictures limited to first-three-songs-only-no-flash. For back … Continue reading
Wishbone Ash Paints a New Coat of Arms
Though not as well known among classic rock aficionados in the U.S. as their home base in England or even Europe, for more than 50 years prog rockers Wishbone Ash have carved out their own place in rock history and … Continue reading
Doug Gray of Marshall Tucker Band Still Has the Fire in His Belly (and on the Mountain)
For many people, remembering where they were and what they were doing on any given New Year’s Eve is an effort hampered by time, memory, or alcohol. But Doug Gray recalls exactly where he was more than four decades ago … Continue reading
Joe Grushecky: Rock’s Iron Man
It hard to fathom in a time when the push of a button can send the music of an album to the entire country at the same time. But from the ‘60s through the early ‘80s, local rock scenes thrived … Continue reading
